SCIENCE OF DEATH: THE DARK ORIGINS OF THE ELECTRIC CHAIR

Cinemavixion Review

This documentary delves into the grim history of the electric chair, tracing its roots to a fierce rivalry between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse in the late 19th century. The narrative highlights Edison's strategic, albeit ethically questionable, decision to use Westinghouse's alternating current system for the first execution. This maneuver aimed to discredit a competing technology while simultaneously implicating Westinghouse in the potentially gruesome outcome. The film compellingly illustrates how technological advancement and commercial ambition tragically intersected with the administration of capital punishment, exploring the unforeseen and horrifying consequences of this 'war of currents' on the very concept of a humane death.